


Every Little Girl's Dream is a Big Teddy Bear

by abbessthegoddess



Category: Frontier (TV 2016), The Good Wife (TV), The Walking Dead (TV), Wolves (2014)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Daddy Kink, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Jason Momoa - Freeform, Jeffrey Dean Morgan - Freeform, LGBTQ Character, M/M, Rape/Non-con Elements, Stockholm Syndrome, lana del rey - Freeform, mafia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-01-25 11:32:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12530356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abbessthegoddess/pseuds/abbessthegoddess
Summary: Melanie has been in a relationship with Clif for the past two years.  They seem like the perfect couple….charming, perfect, committed…happy.  Well, that facade is about to come crashing down.   What is seemingly a perfect couple has dark secrets.  Melanie is terrified to come home. She knows it’s always like walking on eggshells. Clif is either really drunk or he’s just mean and violent. One day Melanie goes to visit her mom’s, Alaina Cruz (Marisol Nichols) and meets a mysterious man named Forest Asher.  He is everything you read about in romance novels…dark, tall (6 foot 9 exactly), mysterious, a gentleman but also a bad boy.  Forest suspects something is going on with a sad looking, Melanie.  What will he do when he discovers what Clif does to her.  Read to find out. Did I mention Forest is a mafia boss?!





	1. Chapter 1

It wasn’t always like this, Melanie thought. Clif and Melanie have been together for two years now. At first, it was the happiest moment of her life. He was everything and more she’d ever wanted….funny, smart, SMARTASS, sweet, caring, sentimental. They were the perfect couple. Hell, at the galas she goes to with Clif at city hall, their relationship is praised as and I quote “the perfect American romance.” It felt like they were on top of the world. 

That’s probably why she has such a huge issue when he swears at her nowadays. Clif was handsome. He was the head sheriff of the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. He had dark brown hair, salt and pepper beard, same with the hair, always wore a leather jacket, crocodile-skinned boots, black tee (or red), with soft denim jeans. He always smelt of either whiskey or cigarettes. He was the bad cop to the good cop, bad cop routine, he and his partner do. He was drop dead intimidating. Pictured painted yet? What’s it look like? So anyway, Melanie blamed herself for Clif’s actions. She owns a small, local coffee shop called “Cruzin’ for coffee” Everyone loves her signature blends. She was small, 5 foot 2 exact. She had blue eyes, dark brown hair, soft but sultry personality, she’s the modern day Marilyn Monroe. There was something broken about her. Many might suspect that it’s because her father, James Cruz works for the Asher Family…the mafia in the town that many argue, do more to help the community than the actual cops. That’s not why she’s broken though, as I know. She is broken because now when she goes home, she walks on eggshells to make her much older boyfriend happy. Usually, he is happy, kind. That makes it hard to leave him. He showers her with diamonds, dresses, benefits that she can serve her signature blend at (Kenyan coffee beans, raw dark chocolate shreds, and hemp seeds…fuckin’ delicious if ya ask me). She feels as though she owes him her. Other nights, when there was a difficult case, or if the dishes weren’t done, or something else he could find to blame her for, he’d be mean. Verbally abusive. He made sure to never actually physically hurt her. Her father would actually kill him. Yet some nights, that would not stop him. Nights like tonight….October 27, 2017. 7:25 pm. 

“MELANIE!” Clif yelled in that typical annoyed voice he would roar that scared Melanie half to death. “Why the fuck do I always, always have to come home to a pig sty!”

 

“I, I’m sorry,” Melanie declared, nervously. “I just got home, I was tired”

“And, what, you don’t think I am?!” Clif growled. “All you had to do was grind coffee beans, I had to arrest so many fucking inbred idiots tonight when I come home, I expect the house to be clean. God, why can’t you do anything right!?” He yelled.

“I, I, it won’t happen again Clif, I swear” Melanie stuttered right as Clif slapped her. She put her hand over her slapped cheek. She was on the verge of tears. She knew better than to cry in front of Clif though. That’d only make him angrier.

“I’m fuckin’ going to bed. When I wake up, the goddamned home better be clean though” He said as he briskly went by her. 

She really didn’t know what to do at times like this…It all felt as though it was her fault. If the house would have been cleaned, he wouldn’t have been so mean she kept saying to herself…She was now shuffling to clean the house. It’s heartbreaking to see her like this. I just want to help her out of this. She began to pick up all of Clif’s whiskey glasses, cleaning all of the coffee table diligently. She also dusted the tv, and tables. She then moved on to doing the dishes…all the while repeating If the house would have been cleaned, he wouldn’t have been so mean. She always felt as though, it was her fault. 

As she went to their bedroom, her heart felt shattered, she got into bed silently, not wanting to anger the angry savior. Little did she know he still lie in bed awake. He turned to her way, as she entered the bed. He wrapped his arm around her. 

“I’m sorry, Melanie…” the man said ashamed. “I am so sorry I ever hit you. I’ve just been so stressed lately. This job isn’t easy.” Always an excuse to justify things. He was never really ever sorry…He just didn’t want her dad to find out.

Melanie forgave him though and melted into the strong man’s arms. They fell asleep immediately. It was always like this though. He’d fuck up, she’d forgive him, fuck up, forgive, etc. I could go the hell on forever. 

She woke up the next morning to an empty bed. She felt around her bed for Clif. She felt a paper instead. She rubbed her eyes to wake up. Clif left a note. She opened the note up to see this

“Hey there pretty girl. I’m really sorry about last night. When you get back from visiting at your mom’s, I wanna make it up to you. Be ready by 7 tonight. We’re going to Spicy Ricks, your favorite. I love you babygirl”

xoxoxoxo…Clif 

That was his favorite. She hated spicy food. After two years, he really didn’t know her at all. He didn’t deserve her but it’d take a lot for her to see this. Little did she know, that awakening was just around the corner.


	2. a new feeling

When Melanie got to her mom’s house that morning, she was ecstatic. Alaina Cruz…not many women like her in this world. She was drop dead beautiful. That gene got passed down you bet. The Cruz women are beautiful and everyone knew it. Alaina had blue eyes, small, always wore the best dresses, always put together (but not for a man, it was for her…I mean she would put on sexy lingerie for James but ya know, who wouldn’t that man is drop dead sexy as well). She was also the boss of the largest news editorial in Louisiana, hell in the south…”NAWLINS’ GaZETTE”. She was also a loving mother and wife. Hell, if she knew what Clif was doing to Melanie, the man would be dead already. You can bet, she’d see to it. Knowing who her husband was, and the family he worked for, he’d be dead like that. James, on the other hand, was a total badass. Apart from working for the Ashers, he owned a local Harley Davidson store. He was 6 foot 4, always wore a hat, leather jacket, goin’ around on a Harley of his own. Just a fuckin’ sexy dilf. The Ashers got all their rides from his store. Hell, he was a rich salesman. His business was one of New Orleans best. One could say, that Melanie followed in her father’s business tycoon footsteps. Melanie opened the door to her parent’s house. She came in to hear her mom cooking. The house smells of bourbon chocolate chip cookies. Mmmm, delicious. She came to the kitchen and snuck up on her busy mother. 

“BOO!” Melanie exclaimed!

“Shit, MELANIE!” Her mother startled out. “You should come with a bell you know that right!” 

 

“But what would be the fun in that!?” she deadpanned.

The two laughed so hard when they got together. NO ONE could quite put a smile on Melanie’s face like her momma could. 

“By the way, your father will be home in like ten minutes. He’s bringing Brynn and Rain Asher over. Also, his son who just took over the family business is coming over. I don’t think ya’ll have ever met. His name is Forest. Nice guy, you’ll like him.”

“I bet, my mother has wonderful taste in friends. I cannot wait to meet him” she exclaimed. Melanie loved meeting new people. Really she was a lovely girl.

Let’s get something straight about the Ashers. The family came to New Orleans in 1969 when New Orleans was a violent city. The family patriarch, Marone saw the city needed help so he took it upon himself to cure this town of its crimes. The rules were simple, “You’re a pedophile, you get tortured., you rape anyone, you get tortured, you murder innocent lives, you get tortured. Man or Woman didn’t matter. They wouldn’t torture teens though. They weren’t animals. They never killed anyone, but god could they scare people into not doing evil things. Ever since they came to town, the crime rate dropped from 70 percent of crime to almost non-existent. That was still true to this day. The Ashers genuinely love New Orleans and all the people in it. Hell, they’re immune to the punishments because of all the good they’ve done for the town. Brynn Asher was intimidating…but soft. He was 6 foot 9, dark brown hair, though it was starting to get salt and pepper in there (don’t tell him I said that). Brynn’s nickname was “the nightman” He surely earned that title. He’d always attack at night and what he did to his victims was horrifying. Too horrifying for me to even say. Basically, however the sicko the Ashers were tracking down tortured their victims, he’d do to them. His mindset was “if you’re willing to do it to other people, have it done to you” (a sick twist on the golden rule really) 

But honestly, though, he was a real family man alright, kind, caring, sweet. But he carried an cryptic way about him, he had a look that as they say, could kill…especially if you ever hurt a child. He had three of his own. That is what drives him, when his kids were children, he always kept the street safe for his kids. He and his little brother, Searcy always wanted the city to stay safe. Rain was the exact opposite of Brynn. She was maternal, caring, and just wanted the best for everyone. She knew what Brynn did though but she considered the fact the city benefited from it though. That made it all seem ok. The victims the family would save, she’d help. She was considered to be the best social worker in town. She was a tall woman, her height matched how big her heart was though. That was another thing that made her okay with what Brynn did to his victims. She’d see the affects that it left on these children she’d help. Hell, if she had it in her, I’m sure she’d beat the ever loving shit out of the sick bastards. They were like Beauty and the Beast. Rain softened Brynn in every way. They, in my opinion, are the perfect couple, along with Alaina and James. 

The doorbell rang. It was James and the Ashers. When they come into a place, you cannot help but feel safe. Tall strong men. Rain, Alaina, and Melanie automatically fell into sync and talked around a glass of wine. The men favored bourbon though. “Brynn, where’s Forest at?” Alaina asked, “I thought you said we were finally gonna meet the handsome devil.”

“Oh, he’s comin’, just gotta rustle some of our new sickos feathers a bit. You know how it is” Brynn declared as he shot back a swig of bourbon ya know nonchalantly talking about torture. NO BIGGIE. 

“Well, I cannot wait to meet him. I didn’t know you had two sons though…thought it was only Ryan and Luna” Melanie queried. 

Rain laughed. “Well by the time, we met Y'all, Forest had already gone off to college. He went up to the University of Washington where there is a wonderful law school. He thought it’d be important for the family to have a lawyer. And damn, I can tell you, my boy’s a good one” She took a swig of her Moscato. Not even ten minutes later, the doorbell rang. James being the host he is, got up to get the door. There stood Forest Asher. 

 

Two NO three words could sum up FOrest Asher…drop dead sexy. He was also 6 foot 9 just like his dad. Just as intimidating, just as dangerous. He was smart, total gentlemen, and gawd. He was a daddy but not in a father-daughter sense. He was so fucking sexy. He had dark brown eyes that you could just fall into. He had a scar on the right side of his face on his eyebrow. Barfight up in Seattle. A man was trying to molest a woman. Dude fucked up. Forest saw and it became an all-out fight. Forest swaggered into the Cruz residence. Everyone got up from their seats to greet the tall man. 

“Forest, come meet everyone.” Rain exclaimed “These are the Cruz’s, you’ve already met James. This is Alaina, James’ wife. And this is Melanie.” 

Well SHIT!, Melanie thought to herself. This man was the most handsome man, Melanie had ever seen and she is with one hell of a sexy man (his personality ruins it though). It was clear that Forest was taking in Melanie as well. Bitch, you could cut the sexual tension with a knife. One had to break the silence though. 

“Hi Melanie, nice to meet you” Forest extended his hand. A stunted Melanie shook it, right after her mom snapped her fingers a few times which woke Melanie out of her trance. 

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you as well, Forest. Good to have you here tonight.”

It’s probably without saying, the two were talking all night. About everything. Politics, life, philosophies. As it turns out, Forest supports gay marriage, feminist, environmentalist. The man was really perfect. YOu really felt as though you could talk to him. Well right after you got over that damn sex appeal, thrawl thing he has going on. 

“So, your mother tells me you own a coffee shop,” Forest questioned. “I’d love to drop by sometime”

“You should,” Melanie said. “It’s called “Cruz for coffee, it’s right on the corner of Bourbon and St. Ann’s street” she took a sip of her merlot. “Chose for it to be there cause some drunken idiots are so hung over, they don’t leave and well, coffee helps a headache. We sell amazing cookies also, everything is handmade, nothing processed, all natural” Melanie boasted. You could tell Forest was listening to every word that came out of the petite girl’s mouth. She loved to talk of her coffee house. Forest could pick up on this pretty swiftly. They talked for hours.

It was now, 5 pm. When Melanie looked at her phone, she saw a bunch of missed calls from Clif. She knew he’d be mad. So she saw herself to the door. “Hey guys, clif and I have plans tonight, I gotta go get ready.” She said. 

“Alright honey,” her dad said as he hugged her tightly. “I love you” and her mom followed on and hugged her daughter. 

“Almost forgot you had a boyfriend” Alaina snickered as she stared at Forest then back at Melanie.

“Oh shut it mom” Melanie deadpanned. “Love you guys” she yelled as she exited the house. Forest though, being the gentlemen he is, walked Melanie to her Subaru Forester. 

“Thank you Forest!” Melanie said shocked that a man would be nice. Wow, it’s been quite some time since she’d met a real gentleman. The cop was just not a nice man to her at all. Even when he’d be nice, there’d be a bunch of backhanded compliments, and he’d just be slyly horrible to her.

 

“Anytime girl” Forest declared as he opened the driver seat door for her. 

As Melanie backed out of her parent’s drive-thru she hurried to get home. When she did, she got dressed swiftly and was ready by the time Clif got home. PHEW, she breathed. 

“Hey, there beautiful!” Clif greeted her with a kiss. “Wow, you’re wearing that dress…” He asked.

“Yeah, ya like it?” she asked the man

“Yeah, sure. Look, we have a 7:45 reservation. Let’s not miss it.” WOW real romantic Clif, real romantic.


	3. about the date

The drive home from the date was eerily silent. Not a shocker though. Honestly Melanie came to prefer awkward silence rather than have to hear Clif groan on and on about these criminals that the Asher family turned over to them. Oh I didn’t tell you? Yeah, the Ashers and the police have an agreement: The cops stay silent about the Asher’s notoriety, then the Ashers would turn over the perpetrator over once they were done scaring them half to death. SO ANYWAY, why was it so awkwardly silent in the car tonight? Well, that night at Spicy Rick’s was one stop short of a shit show. 

(2 hours earlier)

They had gotten to the restaurant, just in time for their reservation. SInce it was a Saturday night, Clif knew that they’d need one. Spicy Rick’s is everyone’s stomping ground in the city. 

“So how was your day, baby?” Melanie questioned. 

“It was so-so, thankfully the Ashers didn’t have a sicko to throw in jail today.” Clif replied back as the waiter came to take their order. 

“Hi, my name is Julie, I’ll be taking your order today. What can I get for you?”

Melanie answered swiftly, “I’ll take a barefoot sweet red and a coke for after” 

“Just a falstaff bear, also we’ll take crawfish for the appetizer” 

After they placed their order, they carried on with their conversation. 

“Are you sure? Today Brynn told me that the new boss had to rough someone up” Safe to say, Clif didn’t like that Melanie had such close contact with the Asher family. One thing that Clif has been trying to do since he’s been head sheriff is separate the department from the vigilantes. A stupid decision really...It wasn’t that the police were worthless, it’s just they weren’t as fast as the Ashers were in solving a case. 

“I’m sorry but, god dammit I have told Alaina that I don’t want you associating with the Ashers. They’re dangerous Melanie!” Clif said slamming his hands down on the table. 

“Clif” Melanie said trying to calm him “that really isn’t your decision who I can and cannot associate with. I’ve known Brynn, Rain, Ryan, and Luna for a long time now, they’re like family to me, you wouldn’t separate me from my family righ-”

“Just shut up and listen, you haven’t seen the people that they bring in Melanie. I mean these people are beatened, bloodied, bruised. They look like a shell. Just imagine what they’d do to you if you betrayed them” 

“But the only people they do that to deserve it. Clif...the only people they torture are pedophiles, rapists, and murderers. I’m pretty sure I’m safe.” Melanie said only to be talked over 

“I don’t want you near them Melanie, if you go over to your parent’s house again and see that they’re over, you turn around. You are not to go near them.” He demanded downing a beer. 

“Oh, okay baby” 

Melanie didn’t mean this of course. She’d still hang out with the Ashers. She couldn’t imagine not hanging out with them. Especially when she just met Forest. There was something haunted about that guy. He was like a mystery you had to discover. As she was thinking about him, she spaced out completely. All she could think of was that smile he would so proudly flash. Not like one can blame her. It is rather attractive. She started to lose track of the conversation she;d been having with Clif up until he slammed his hands down on the table again, angrily, shocking her out of her thoughts. 

“MELANIE!” he exclaimed. “I’m talking about my fucking day here, the least you could do is act like you’re listening….” 

“I’m sorry” Melanie said softly. “I was just thinking about what I’d have to do when I get to work tomorrow..” 

“Oh my, well SORRY ME. All I have to do is arrest people and get laughed at like I’m a joke because your fucking buddies undermine us every chance they get, but NO! You have to grind goddamned coffee beans, my what a struggle!” he scoffed and she looked as though she was on the verge of tears. “YOu fucking crybaby.” 

“Clif..there are peo-”

“OH shut up. I don’t give a fuck if people hear.”

That was until their waiter came back and said “You guys are making a scene. If it doesn’t stop, I’ll have to ask you to leave…” 

“Save it toots, we’re going” Clif deadpanned “Just one date, one and you can’t even give me that, ya know what, just don’t speak on the way home, I’m tired of this tonight….

So she did just that. 

She didn’t speak at all. Half because she was scared, half because she wanted to fucking go off on him for how he acted in the restaurant. She just wanted to scream! She was honestly starting to get sick of this. Starting to get sick of his manipulation, of his yelling, his constant bickering. It really does get annoying after a while. 

She’s thought about telling her mother or father about this before, but she knows what James would do. There’s a reason that Brynn recruited James. He was ruthless when it came to people hurting other people. So imagine for a split second, what would happen if he found out some guy was hurting his little girl. It’d be bloody. 

When they got home, Clif went straight for the beer and slammed down a cold one. He was pretty furious. Melanie just sat silently on the couch, fearing what Clif would do next. But to her amazement, he just went straight to bed. She wanted to make it better though. 

“Baby, I-” She couldn’t speak though once Clif smacked her across the cheek which made her fall to the ground. 

“DO not fucking speak, you embarrassed me tonight, for that you’re sleeping on the couch.” He took another beer “I hope your precious Ashers are fucking worth it.” 

With that, she was left with a bruised cheek, and a bruised heart. She got up and went to the couch, where she cried herself to sleep. Clif really didn’t nurture her. He was just nice when she was a) horny or b) just wanted to vent. She was (in his eyes) her property. 

 

It really was a depressing thing. Having being abused, humiliated in public, and just torn apart by the person you love...it’s horrible. NO, it’s fucked up. 

She couldn’t fall asleep so she turned on the TV where she turned on riverdale, her favorite show. It almost gave her a sense of calm. Seeing a couple like Jughead and Betty on screen made her hopeful for a short time. As she was watching the show, it calmed her heart a bit. A bit was enough to calm her down enough so she could fall asleep. 

She had a busy day tomorrow. It’d been awhile since she hired anyone and they really needed help at the coffee house. When she wasn’t there, her best friend, Fiona Iris held the fort down. Fiona Iris was beautiful. She had beautiful gingered locks of hair, piercing blue eyes, always wore a smoky eye look. She was also smart. Pretty soon, she would co-own Cruzin’ for Coffee with Melanie. That is how much Melanie trusted Fiona. They are inseparable. 

She could not wait to see Fiona. Even like three days without her best friend was too long. Ain’t nothing more beautiful than nature than perhaps a friendship between two strong women. 

Then she started again to think about Forest. God, he was so charming when she met him. It was almost like they have known each other since they were children. It was something about the way he listened to her and genuinely wanted to know about her job that made her heart flutter. She missed someone caring for her. That was it. In the short time of knowing him, he made every little thing okay. That was the thing about Forest. When you were with him, he made you feel like the most important person in the room. The only difference was that with him, it was always genuine. I feel as though, Forest genuinely cares for Melanie. 

With those thoughts in her head, riverdale helping her, and her secret pining for Forest Asher, she allowed herself to fall asleep. 

A new day would start tomorrow, she whispered to herself, a new day would start tomorrow.


	4. a new day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i should have probably said who each characters actors are....
> 
> Melanie Cruz-25 (Lana Del Rey) Main Character, coffee shop owner -bisexual  
> Forest Asher-43 (Jason Momoa) Melanie’s love interest, mafia boss -straight  
> Clif Hawk-40 (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) Melanie’s abusive boyfriend, cop -straight  
> Alaina Cruz-58 (Marisol Nichols) Melanie’s mom, news editor -straight  
> James Cruz-60 (Michael Rooker) Melanie’s father, works for the Asher family -straight  
> Fiona Iris-24 (Sophie Turner) Melanie’s best friend, coffee shop employee -bisexual  
> Brynn Asher-64 (Sylvester Stallone) Forest’s father, retired-straight  
> Rain Asher-54 (Drea De Matteo) Forest’s mother, social worker. -Straight  
> Ryan Asher-36 (Ezra Miller) Forest’s brother and his right-hand man works in family business-bisexual  
> Luna Asher-26 (Maisie Williams) Forest’s sister, works in family business -gay  
> Sky Lawson-30 (Evan Peters) Melanie’s other best friend, club owner -gay

Melanie woke up the next morning to the smell of coffee, eggs, pancakes and bacon. She also saw a note on the side of the coffee table.  
“Hey Beautiful. I’m so sorry I bruised you. To make it up to you, I made ya breakfast. I hope we can talk more when I get home tonight.”  
xoxo...Clif

Another fucking apology, Melanie scoffed...figures. 

She got up off the couch, rubbing the small of her back. They really did need a new couch. She went to the bathroom, took a nice hot shower, brushed her teeth, put a full face of makeup on...her classic smoky eye with on point winged liner with fake lashes. She tried her best to hide her bruises from the night before. It’d be hot as balls today so she put on her short shorts, vans, and a band tee with a bandana covering the front part of her hair. Dayum she looked good. 

As she got to the coffee house, she opened up the door, flicked on all the lights, and started up all the machines. Okay good, everything is working like a glove, She thought. She heard another set of feet shuffle in. She assumed it was Fiona so she began their usual banter. 

“Oh my god, girl I miss you so much” She said still facing the displays, filling them up with their decorum…”I assume you fucked either a fucking hot bombshell or a sexy ass man, tell me all about it.” oh yeah, she’s bisexual! 

She was right, it was Fiona. “Sexy ass girl, goddamned radiant beauty.” she laughed. “Also fucking amazing in bed might I add” 

Melanie laughed at this, “you little sly devil.” she bursted out “what line you used this time!?” Melanie winked. 

“Hon, I don’t gotta use lines. My natural ass wit gets me all the guys and gals…” She moseyed on over to the cash register, opening it up to put the drawer in the machine full of money. “So, when we gonna do job interviews?” she asked. 

“Sometime this week, today I’m gonna look at the applications and select which 20 are the most promising.” she said while putting the chairs down “You’ll do half of the interviews, I’ll do the others and we’ll choose four of them to hire” 

“Sounds like a plan!” Fiona said pausing a bit “Let’s start our day!” 

By the time 4:30 rolled around, Melanie was on her lunch break. She bought a egg, sausage, and cheese bagel at the shoppe and went to sit down at a table to eat it, along with her strawberry banana smoothie. As she was sitting, she started to think of last night. What the hell happened to him, Melanie thought. He use to be so sweet, so kind, now she barely recognized him. It was almost as though, he was foreign to her now. She didn’t know how to speak to him. She just got sad and frustrated thinking about it. She thought about leaving so many times prior. Right, as she’d muster the strength, he’d do something so she wouldn’t. Anything from getting her her favorite bottle of wine, to getting her expensive jewelry, to promising it’d never happen again, he’d win. He’d fucking win each and every time. 

She was so far in her thoughts, she couldn’t hear Fiona talking to her. “Melanie!” Fiona said shaking Melanie out of her thoughts. 

“Oh shit, sorry Fiona, just in my thoughts” 

“I could tell, babe; anything you need to talk about?” 

“N, no...I just, let me eat my food, I really just need to focus my mind on work today” She pleaded, trying her best to smile. 

“OKay” Fiona digressed. “Oh but also, there’s a man here who says he wants to talk to you...um Forest Asher? I think his name is..” Fiona said. “Should I send him over here?”

 

“Oh sure?” Melanie was shocked. It was a happy as fuck shock though. It was like her whole entire mood changed the minute she heard his name. “Send him right on over” 

“Okay girl,” Fiona said winking. Fiona’s view on Clif? She hated him. Ever since Melanie started to date Clif, she’d been more isolated, and more sad. She had noticed the bruise today. This confirmed her suspicion that something sinister was going on, but she wouldn’t push it. She studied psychology in college and if she forced Melanie to talk about it or tell her what to do, she’d lose her like that. She needed to be smart about it. But what she just saw just now, Melanie’s mood changing one second after the mention of Forest’s name. She knew there was history there. Right then, right there, she made the connection. Forest Asher, Asher why is that name so famil-, OH SHIT, little missie has a crush on the new mafia boss, Fiona thought. Please make him amazing, and everything I’ve heard about. 

Forest came over to Melanie’s table. The way he swaggered and moved his body was enough to give anyone a hot flash. The man was such a lil’ devil. Upon this walk over though, he was a bit more cautious than usual. He had noticed Melanie’s bruise. When he got over there, he was so ever gentle. 

“Hey girl!” Forest greeted her, “so this is your great coffee shop, it feels very homey.” He smiled down at the girl. 

“Ya think so?” Melanie asked getting butterflies in her stomach. 

“Yeah I do…” Forest said. “Is your face okay?” he asked brushing it with his thumb. “This looks pretty bad.”

She flinched back at that, “oh yeah, it’s fine, just ran into a wall. I’m very clumsy, just ask my dad.” she tried her best to laugh it off. “So, let me get ya something, you must be thirsty, what with all of your newfound responsibilities.” 

It took him awhile to respond, He was still fucked up about her bruise. This bruise didn’t look like a clumsy accident. No, he was smart, he knew exactly how to leave a bruise like that. He knew she’d been slapped. He also knew that it’d probably be best to not make a scene in her place. In the short time he knew her, he valued how much she loved this coffee shop. “Oh um, yeah. What does a pretty woman recommend?” He asked winking sensually at her. 

That was enough to make her bite her lip hard “Um, we have a signature blend that I created along with my mom when I was 18. It has Kenyan coffee beans, raw dark chocolate shreds, and hemp seeds in it. Wan, wanna try some Forest?” 

Hell, he was so sexy and charming and just fucking perfect. “Sounds delicious beautiful” Forest said. 

“Good, it’s on the house Forest” 

“PLease call me Ash” Forest pleaded with her as he winked. 

Fiona was looking on to all of this, yep they gonna fuck and that’ll be it for our local douche canoe! She thought. 

Forest still couldn’t stop thinking about the bruise though. Melanie was already like family to Forest. And if you know anything about the Ashers, is that you don’t fuck with his family. Forest made it his mission right then, right there, to find out what’s happening with Melanie. Meanwhile, he’d show her how a real gentleman treats a lady. 

That’d he make sure of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How ya’ll liking it so far? I’ll take any feedback I can get.


	5. investigation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forest is determined to find out what's going on with Melanie...but will he like what he discovers?

After Forest left the coffee shop, he was relentless to figure out what was happening with Melanie. His mind swirling with possibilities; Did she get in a fight, did she get beat up by some miscreant on the way home? Then the most fearful...Was this caused by her boyfriend? He has yet to meet Clif but he’s already gotten mixed signals from members of the mafia, from his parents, hell even from locals. He wasn’t sure though. 

Part of being in the mafia is not jumping to conclusions. Being the new mob boss, he had to practice that. Still, the way that Melanie flinched and jumped back on him like that made him think something was going on. You don’t flinch back like that if it was just a fight in a bar; you might if it was just a person in a back ally who attacked you but that didn’t seem as though it was the story. For a woman in a relationship, she really did not seem happy in it. She seemed as though she was ready to get out of it. 

His mind was racing with worse case scenarios… His mind was interrupted by the ringing of his phone. It was his little brother, Ryan. He had a new case for him to investigate. 

Forest got into his Dodge Durango and made his way to Asher headquarters. But on the drive, he kept thinking of Melanie. God this girl had his mind in a whirlwind. But he also knew he had to focus on this case. 

There were six children missing in the past month. The children were between the ages of 9 to 12. All boys with dark brown hair so he knew he had to find out fast what was going on. 

When he got there he was greeted by his sister, Luna Asher outside smoking weed. 

“There you are!” She exclaimed. “Ryan, dad and James have been waiting for you” 

“I know,” he said with a chuckle. “What the progress on information?” he asked as they both hurried inside. 

“Yeah, these kids were all taken from the wonderland arcade on south side of the French Quarter”

“So we need to let them know to watch out for creepy fucks staring at kids and any suspicious behavior. Luna goes call the arcade and tell them we need to see the tapes for anything fucked up.” 

As she went to make the call, Forest went into the main room where the action happens. 

“There the main man is!” Brynn exclaimed 

“where did ya go!” James asked, no more like yelled

“Oh, I stopped by your daughter’s coffee shop! She has a gift ya know?” explained Forest. 

“Oh we all know that,” James said 

“Oh, by the way, thanks for not getting us any, god that stuff is delicious!” Ryan said a bit like wtfish. 

“Sorry I ain’t your sugar daddy!” Forest mocked before getting serious. “Ryan, all the kids being taken were last seen at wonderland arcade. I know you are very good friends with the owner, Sky. Luna is calling him right now tell him to have him and his workers look out for anything suspicious but I need you to go down there and ask him to look at his tapes. Sweet talk him” Forest impaired winking making Ryan a bit questionable. 

“What was that wink!?” Ryan asked shocked before James and Brynn scoffed

“Please son, you think your dad and brother don’t see the way you look at him.” 

“And the way he looks at you.” James joked. 

“Assholes, all of you. But if you need me to, I’m sure I can get him to show me the tapes. Anything for the children.” Ryan said as he left to go get down to the arcade. 

Forest smiled “Good, now has anyone been to talk to the families of the missing children?” 

“No, but your momma and I were about to go talk with them and see if they saw anything,” Brynn said 

“Okay so go do that and James and I will be here when you get back.” 

“Rodger that kid!” Brynn said as he took off with Rain. 

FOcusing back to Melanie, Forest had a plan of attack. He was going to ask James about the relationship between Melanie and Clif. If there was an honest soul in all the town, it was James.   
“So how was my daughter today, boy? She lookin’ good?” James asked. 

“She looked good I must say. She is really passionate about that place” Forest said. 

“Yeah, ever since she was 12, she had been making some of the best coffee I’ve ever tasted. Same with her pastries!” James said pridefully. 

“James...I have a question. Regarding Clif.” 

You could see James face tense up from a mile away when his name was mentioned. 

“Oh..that fucker!” James declared. “Lemme tell you something about that guy. There is something off about him. Ever since my daughter started dating him, she’s been different. Her eyes used to gleam so happily. Now she just looks as if she’s going through the motions. She visits her momma less and less. It’s like he’s isolating her. I’ve tried to talk about this with her and she just gets defensive. I know there is something going on but she won’t let us in. Forest, this is why I’m glad you’re here. I know you can be very charming and easy to talk to. Be there for her. Let her know she has other options.” 

“Other options?” Forest asked confused. 

“just as clueless as your brother. Hehe” James said “Look, we all see how you look at her. It’s clear you like her” 

Forest was too shocked to respond. He thought he was doing a good job hiding it. Guess not. He was rocked out of his thoughts by James shaking his arm. 

“Please, we can’t save her. She might listen to you” James pleaded. 

“That’s my plan,” Forest exclaimed. Just five seconds later Luna came into the room letting them know the call was done and that Ryan got the tapes successfully but that they need to come down to the place to get them.   
Forest agreed and they all began to head down there all except for Luna who went down to get everyone something from Melanie’s coffee shop. 

As Forest was going down Claiborne Avenue, he spotted Melanie and Clif. The two appeared to be arguing. Well, Clif was arguing but Melanie was just taking it. He discreetly parked his car to observe this. He was not about to leave so he called James and told him that he’d be late but to observe everything. As he was watching, the last straw came as Clif raised a hand to Melanie. He was right. Clif had been abusing Melanie. He knew that if he got out of the car, that it’d only make things worse for Melanie so he had to restrain himself. 

That’s okay. This gave him more time to plan out the ways he’d hurt Clif. He knew Clif was a cop but he didn’t care. 

You don’t hurt his family. It doesn’t matter who you are. 

So with that being said, a true nightmare was about to begin for Clif. 

One that would make him regret ever touching Melanie.


End file.
